When looking at various cellulite treatments you see the same ingredients in many of them - be that retinol or aminophylline, caffeine or carnitine. We look at some effective cellulite treatments - and the pros and cons for each. We also look at Liporeductyl - the most effective ingredients to help fight cellulite, when included at the right amount in a product.

When looking around, and reading on the web, it is very interesting that some people can be foolish enough to state on nationwide American television that there is nothing that can remove cellulite.

Certain common ingredients in cellulite treatments

AHA and vitamin C

Retinol and vitamin A derivatives

Retinol on the other hand also helps to soften the skin and gives the appearance of a smoother skin, yet it does not get to the heart of the problem – but sure – the skin could look softer when using a cream containing retinol or any other vitamin A derivative.

Co-enzymes

Co-enzymes are touted as “melting fat cells” which does not only sound gross, but is physically impossible. Some large companies tried to sell this idea to gullible consumers, but the truth speaks louder than advertising dollars.

Aminophylline

This ingredient – sometimes found in “cutting gels” is actually a bronco-dilator, yet Aminophylline does show certain results in reducing fat cells when applied topically in a cream, but it is rather heat sensitive.

L-Carnitine

Topical caffeine

Caffeine often found in cellulite treatments, but the topical application does not normally have a systemic reaction. It is a great help to fight cellulite and it not only works on the cells themselves but also assists the action of other ingredients. See notes below…

Antioxidants

An array of antioxidants are also used, and although it is beneficial to the skin in general by helping to fight free radical damage within the cell, it will not make your cellulite appear less visible, nor will it remove the cellulite.

Essential oils

When you wish to fight cellulite by using aromatherapy (a holistic way using pure essential oils in a vegetable oil base) a blend of black pepper, grapefruit, fennel, juniper and geranium essential oils are normally used. It does not show results very quickly, but regular application of these oils, in a suitable vegetable oil base, on a daily basis, will eventually yield results.

Cellumend ingredients

When we started formulating our Cellumend cream we set out to create a brand new cream to surpass people’s expectations, and to get rid of cellulite effectively, and at the same time prevent cellulite from forming.

The main active component of Cellumend is the patented peptide called Liporeductyl. Although other cosmetic companies have tried to copy our formula, they have always come short of delivering a product that is as effective as Cellumend.

Liporeductyl is an expensive peptide, and must be included at a very specific amount to be able to work.

While trying to copy our formula other companies tried to include the Liporeductyl at very low amounts, in order to save money, but unfortunately, it doesn’t work.

We have always included the Liporeductyl at an effective rate, and then further boosted the formula with some other proven botanical and herbal extracts to work in synergy with this tri-peptide, and so create a dynamic cellulite treatment that can be followed at home.

Liporeductyl	The peptide Liporeductyl helps to reduce the formation of adipocyte cells (fat cells), while not affecting the total amount of cells formed - thereby helping to prevent the formation of cellulite cells and is very well absorbed by the skin. It furthermore helps to reduce the size of the lipid droplets - this basically means that it helps to reduce the amount of fat in the fat cells. Since it is a potent aldehyde sequestering agent (has an antioxidant effect and neutralizes reactive compounds created by normal metabolism) it helps to reduce toxins and waste materials in the skin cell. Although water needs to surround skin cells to function properly, an excess of "extracellular" water also contributes to cellulite - and Liporeductyl helps to reduce any excess extracellular water. Although it removes excess extracellular water, it does not dehydrate the skin. In actual fact, skin hydration is improved by an average of nearly 10%. Apart from proper hydration, the peptide also helps to increase skin elasticity and microcirculation is also improved. Although the reduction of body mass was not aimed at, 50% of the people in the clinical trials showed body mass loss as well. Liporeductyl visibly reduces micro and macro cellulite nodules in the skin while improving skin smoothness and skin compactness and a better rosier complexion.
Butcherbroom (Ruscus aculeatus) extract	Various clinical studies have been done to test the effectiveness of Butchersbroom in helping circulation and the venous system REF 27 as well as having a toning effect on the skin REF 28 +29. The compounds found in this herb contain 4 - 6% of a mixture of steroidal saponin compounds including about 0.12% ruscogenin, neoruscogenin, ruscin and ruscoside REF 30 & 31 fatty acids, including tetracosanoic acid, flavonoids, sterols including sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol, benzofuranes, including euparone and ruscodibenzofurane REF 32
Ivy (Hedera helix) extract	The saponosids in ivy help other ingredients to be better absorbed by the skin and help the fatty contents stocked in the adipocytes (fat cells) to return to the blood stream and to be either used as a source of energy or to be eliminated. Saponosids in ivy are natural surfactants, which relieve congestion in the lymphatic system and make lipids soluble and also helps to improve the elimination of cell metabolism wastes.
Carnitine	It is used to help fuel mitochondrial respiratory chains with free fatty acids and adipocytes (fat cells) and is thereby freed of their excess content of triglycerides and can therefore be seen to help free fat from the cells and fight cellulite. But as mentioned before, carnitine on its own is not enough to get rid of cellulite.
Escin	The ingredient escin (also known as esculin) is extracted from the seeds of the Horse chestnut tree and is very popular in phyto-medicine due to the clinical evidence of its effectiveness in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency (vein problems), varicose veins, and related vascular and circulatory disorders. It is thus easy to understand why we added escin to the Cellumend formula.
Seaweed [Including Chondrus crispus (Carrageenans), Fucus vesiculosus Extract and Laminaria digitata Extract]	These ingredients are types of seaweed and contain an abundance of mineral salts, trace elements, proteins and vitamins, and are also particularly high in iodine-containing compounds such as TEA-hydroiodide. The iodine stimulates general cell metabolism and causes an increase in osmotic exchanges (the liquid moving between cells). It has lipolytic properties (breakdown of fats into fatty acids and glycerol) by stimulating lipases (an enzyme that breaks down fats). It furthermore contains non-essential and essential amino acids such as proline, glycine and lycine. All of these are found in the elastic fibers of the skin and assist with skin elasticity and increasing hydration of the skin – leading to proper cell functioning.
Caffeine	It has a lipolytic effect and blocks enzymes responsible for the destruction of AMPc, which is involved in triglycerides breakage. Caffeine also possesses vasodilator properties, increasing blood flow, and caffeine therefore contributes in both lipolytic and venotonic effects in the skin. From the absorption tests done during the clinical testing phase it can clearly be seen that the liposomal formulation used with the Cellumend Cellulite Cream favors epidermal penetration - this fact is clearly demonstrated that penetration of the formulation is almost 5 times that of pure caffeine and almost 8 times that of pure escin.
Citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) peel extract	Tests have shown that limonene derived from citrus peels may have relevant anti-cancer, anti-tumor, and cell-differentiation promoting activities. REF 9 and is also believed to help increase metabolism or thermogenesis due to its synephrine content. REF 10
Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract	The therapeutic properties of rosemary include that of being a tonic, astringent, diaphoretic and stimulant to the skin, as well as reducing skin fragility.
Equestium arvense (horsetail) extract	This herb is most known for its healing properties and because it also helps to break down unwanted deposits in the tissues, and being an excellent diuretic – thereby removing unwanted or excess liquid. Horsetail boosts the circulation and helps to rejuvenate the cells while the bio-minerals contained in horsetail are required for the different steps of collagen and elastin manufacture in the skin.
Persea gratissima (avocado) oil	It is very beneficial for dehydrated and undernourished skin and avocado oil also helps with regenerating the skin while softening it at the same time.
Prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil	This oil is very well absorbed by the skin and is high in fatty acids and almond oil has a nourishing action while not making the skin feel oily.
Centella asiatica extract	Studies have confirmed that Centella asiatica (a.k.a Gotu kola) improves circulation REF 20 by thinning the blood in the tissues. REF 21 and the asiaticosides help to heal ugly skin lesions by balancing collagenase (the promotion and breaking down of collagen in the skin) and increasing blood supply to the connective tissue. REF 22 Apart from boosting the collagen in the skin, it also has a toning action on the skin
Piper nigrum (black pepper) seed extract	It has various actions and benefits to the skin, but black pepper is an exceptional circulation stimulant.
Daucus carota sativa (carrot) seed oil	This very potent oil contains acetic, pinene, carotol, asorone, limonene and bisabolene and although carrot seed oil has excellent toning qualities, it is also of great help to rejuvenate and regenerate the skin.
Juniperus communis (juniper berry) fruit oil	It contains pinene, sabinene, myrcene, camphene and terpineol plus juniper oil has excellent diuretic properties on this skin which helps to relieve congestion and puffiness due to water retention.
Citrus aurantifolia (lime) oil	The toning action of lime oil is most useful when used in conditions where you need an astringent action on the skin, and apart from this it also helps to boost circulation.
Citrus grandis (grapefruit) peel oil	The paradisiol, limonene, gamma terpinene, nootketone, cadinene, neral and citronellal contained in grapefruit oil helps to stimulate the lymphatic system as well as to remove excess water from tissue – both points being important when fighting cellulite.
Citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil	Although very much like grapefruit oil, lemon oil helps with blood flow and has a tightening and astringent action on the skin.
Geranium maculatum oil	Geranium oil, containing geraniol, geranic, citronellol, citronellyl formate, linalol (linalool), euganol, myrtenol, terpineol, citral, methone and sabinene, helps with boosting circulation, relieving water retention and re-balancing the skin.
Foeniculum vulgare (fennel) oil	Apart from stimulating the skin, the anisic, cuminic, fenchone, anethole, camphene, limonene, dipentene, methylchavicol and phellandrene compounds in fennel oil helps to clear and tone the skin.